One small step for Katy Perry, one giant leap for private space flight?
Monday morning, Katy Perry and five other celebrities boarded Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket and capsule.
The short flight only lasted 10 minutes. Passengers flew just beyond the Karman line, the widely recognized boundary of space located 62 miles above Earth.
While in space, Perry held up a daisy and sang “What a Wonderful World.”
This mission, NS-31, is the first all-female space flight since 1963, when Valentina Tereshkova orbited the Earth in a 3-day solo flight.
The star-studded crew included news anchor Gayle King and journalist Lauren Sanchez, the fiancée of Amazon CEO and Blue Origin’s founder Jeff Bezos. Also on board were aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, scientist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn. The livestream attracted a large crowd, with thousands of people tuning in to watch.
Meanwhile, at the launch pad in Texas, celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner, and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps came out to watch in person.
Critics on social media have called the mission “gluttonous.” The celebrity passengers paid hefty fees to fly on the aerospace company’s craft. However, the women on board have spoken out, sharing their excitement and pride for the journey.
“We’ve had some cranky Yankees and haters. I’ve heard you. I’m not going to let you steal our joy,” said Gayle King. “But most people are really excited and cheering us on and realize what this mission means to young women, young girls, and boys, too. It’s a historic moment.”
USC physics and astronomy professor Vahe Peroomian said the space mission is more than just a small step in making space travel more accessible.
“I was happy to see the diversity of the crew. You know, our society today is kind of being pushed in the wrong direction as far as that’s concerned,” Peroomian said. “And to have six very strong women from diverse backgrounds and cultures go to space and become role models for the kids that look up to them, I think that’s a very, very positive step.”
At least as far as space tourism is concerned.